Something I Regret

This is a personal story that I haven't told many people. I have decided to share it because I would like to help people who were like me to not make the same mistake that I did....

I was 14 years old and it was a hot summer day. My mom and I went to a department store to get some things. I had told my mom that I was going to look around while she did her returns. I remember seeing this guy, he was probably in his 20's, dark skinned and short. He waved me to come over to him and I did. He asked for my phone number aggressively and it made me feel very uncomfortable. I hesitated giving my number to him but he kept on asking and asking. I finally just gave him a fake number so he would hopefully leave me alone but he didn't.

He asked for a kiss and I was shocked. I said, "No, I don''t even know you". He said, "That doesn't matter".  He put his hand on the back of my head, pulled my face towards his and kissed me. I do not think that I kissed him back but I was in shock so I am not 100% sure.

That 1st horrible encounter happened in the front of the store and there were not many people out shopping that day. After that he grabbed my hand and was trying to convince me to come to the back of the store with him. He started walking, pulling me to the back of the store. I was still in shock so I walked while holding his hand. Mean while I was saying things like, " I have to go, my mom is waiting", " Please let go" but he kept pulling me and he pulled harder the further away we got from the front of the store.

When he finally got me to where he wanted to be, he grabbed me and kissed me again. This time he was trying to touch me where I definalty did not want him to. I pushed his hands off of me and pulled away from him. He continued trying to touch me but I would not let him. He grabbed my hand again and told me to come out to his car and that was when I really started to freak out.

He was pulling me towards to exit and kept trying to verbally convince me to go out to his car. But this time I was pulling back from him. He would still not let go so I pulled harder and harder and then came free. I think that my strength caught him off guard judging by the look on his face. He backed off and I walked away.

I went to find my mom and I started crying. I had planned on keeping what had happened from her but when I found her I could not hold back my tears and I told her immediately. She freaked out and told one of the store managers. They wanted me to me point him out. I was scared, upset, in shock and just wanted to leave the situation so I said no. On our way out of the store I had thought that I saw him down one of the isles but I was not sure because of my poor eye sight. I kept my mouth shut and this is what I regret.

I was thinking selfishly at that time. I didn't want to see him again and I definalty did not want to talk to him. I wanted to run and find my friends who could help console me. My mom was nice enough to bring me to a friends house but that did not help me out much. I went home later that day and I was still sad and still in shock. It took me a few days to get back to being myself but I have never forgotten that day.

I regret not trying to stop it from the start, I regret not trying to find him and most of all I regret not thinking about all of the other girls he could have done that to after me.

I can't help to wonder, what would of happened if I was not strong enough to pull myself away? If I had found him hopefully he would of  had to pay for what he did to me. And then maybe that would make him not repeat the same actions to someone else. I was very shy and insecure back then. I wish that I had been stronger and did what I should have done from the very start.

The only thing I can do now is to live and learn from it . Hopefully by sharing this story it could help other people to think about what they could do to help a terrible situation instead of doing nothing about it.